Air Creebec passenger service in Quebec grounded due to COVID-19

One of the main airlines serving northern Quebec has grounded its passenger flights and reduced its workforce by 50 per cent, as the novel coronavirus has suddenly made people stop travelling.

Air Creebec, a regional airline owned by the Quebec Cree Nation and based in Waskaganish, Que., let passengers know by email or telephone call that it was cancelling its last remaining weekly passenger flight.

Sabrina Jolly was one of those passengers. She and her two young daughters were booked to fly Wednesday from Waskaganish back to Montreal, where she works for one of the Cree entities.

"My employer received an email from Air Creebec that all flights have been cancelled," said Jolly by Facebook Messenger. Jolly and her girls flew to Waskaganish on March 7 for a one-week holiday and became stranded when the pandemic closures rolled through her workplace and many others.

It's going to take time just like 9/11 for people to fly again.- Matthew Happyjack, President of Air Creebec

Air Creebec connects the Cree communities to larger cities, such as Val d'Or, Chibougamau and Montreal.

Staffing levels at Air Creebec are down from 400 to 200 people, according to president Matthew Happyjack.He said even though it's a situation out of the company's control, it's been very difficult.

"We have good people at Air Creebec. We manage the company as a family," said Happyjack. "We are not the only ones, every company is in the same situation."

Happyjack said the airline has been reducing its passenger service gradually since mid-March. Most recently, its operation was down to one return flight to northern Quebec weekly on Wednesdays, but now even that is grounded.

"Even [once a week] the numbers dropped and [the flights] were empty," said Happyjack. "The communities wanted lockdowns to minimize people going in."

Service to Ontario and health charters still flying

Air Creebec also operates, along with the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay,medical charters to helppatients get to medical appointments in the South.

Thatservice has been significantly reduced, according to Happyjack.

The Cree Patient Services department of the Cree health board said the charter is an essential service that will be maintainedon a modified schedule and a reduced passenger load to allow for physical distancing.

Air Creebec flights out of Timmins, Ont.,to fly-in-only communities in northern Ontario are still operating three days a week as an essential service, said Happyjack.

The economic impacts of the shutdown will likely be felt in the airline industry for a long time, he said.

"When everything is unlocked, I think it's going to take time,just like 9/11, forpeople to fly again," said Happyjack.

Jolly is taking the cancellation in stride, working remotely from Waskaganish andspending time with family.

"Montreal has the most cases, so I feel safer in my community," wrote Jolly.

She said she has been told she won't fly before May 2.

"I don't mind, as long as I'm protecting my girls and myself."